Mining machine



May 7, 1935. c. A. PRATT MINING MACHINE Original Filed March 10, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 7, 1935. c A, A T 2,000,670

MINING MACHINE Original Filed March 10, 1932 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 7, 1935. c. A. PRATT 2,000,670'

- MINING MACHINE I Original Filed March 10, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 7, 1935 v r r Um I PATENT Charles dl i ratt. Chicago. 111., assignor to Good-- man Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois 7 1 Application March 10, 1932, Serial No. 597,916.. P Renewed September ,15, 1934 a.

.7 Claims. (Cl. 262-30) g r This invention relates to improvements in in a suitable manner which will hereinafter be mining machines of the room and pillar type and morefuily described. 7 Y more particularly to coal mining machines slide Means are provided for moving the mining able along. the minehottomwhiie'undercutting machine about the mine from working place tothecoal; working place which may beof any suitable oon- 5 This; invention has among other objects to struction, butwhich means is herein preferably provide a new and improved mining machine 01' shown as being a track mounted truckrll. Said the class described adapted. for use in thin truck is drivennfrom the mining machine motor v sums of coai and constructed with a view to- ,in a manner which will hereinafter he more. 10 wards ease and simplicity of operation, and rugfully for transporting the mining m 10 gedness, compactness, and readyvaccessibflity chine about themine; and is provided with a of parts inciud'ing the motor. I pivoted forward end so said mining machine may' The machine of my present invention is simreadily be removed therefrom or loaded thereon her in many to that'otmy prior invent ina usual manner well known zto-thoseskiiled m tixm filed February 25, .1932, Serial No. 595954, the art. v 15 and entitled Improvements'in mining machines; The main frame :11 is'attached to a casing 18 but difiers from my prior invention in the arfor the motor 10 by'meansof nuts and bolts indirangement'of theieeding mechanism. cated 8x319 and terms a. means-for supporting My invention may be more clearly underthe feedingahdcuttingmecharflsin and-the drive 2o stood with reference to the accompanying drawmeans therefor. .Said. main frame is so arran 2.9 iogs wherein: l v v that a passagewayis provided for discharging v 2511111: 1V a side elevationof adevice emthe cuttings to theretreating side of the mabcdsine my invention mounted on a selt-prochine, which passageway .is'c'losedto the advance liim truck; y "I '7 and rearwardsidesthereof and conforms subis'igureiz is a toupian view of the device shown stantiailly .to the path of the cutter chain for 25 inFigure 1;. V I r '1 T v the cuttings to the retreating side Figure 3 is a partiai enlarged-sectional viewof the machine cooperation with said cutter taken-substantially along line 3'--'3of Figure 2,; chain. It should also be noted thattbe main Figure 4 is a transverse sectionaiview taken frame H issoj arranged that the portion adiasubstantially along line I -4 0i Figure 2; and cent the advance 'sideloi the mining machine 30 Figure Sis a :frontendview, or: the device emrests directly on the mine bottom serves as bodying myzinvention with broken away asupoort for while the'portionodfia and in section to more clearly-show thedetaiis cent tiie' cuttrngs pasageway is raised to form a thereof, 7 v bottomiessipassageway for the" discharge or the Like numerals refer to like ts throughout cuttings. This prevents clog ing of the cuttings w the various figures. Q g between the bottom and top portions of the cut- Referring now in particular to the details tines msae av' n att utt esmt xshownin drawings, the embodiment of my neiled checuttings passageway by the cutter invention illustrated comprises a vertically dischain'ld are left behind as the mining 41o Posed motor in on .oneof ends on 81 113 the working iacep Y I the mine bottom, and a main framed! carrying fieffirringlnqw in parfiwlario the 1 9 cutting and feeding mechanism extending iorand motor'msmg 1 m" be m i referwardly or said motor. i 3 to t 'f f f n li A cutter bar 12 projects forwardly of the main lagona y m 0 W0 7 frame H and is securedto a. debending projeca ionvard @nq rearward half h w from Said 'mainlfr'amexby suitabie nut'siand bolts boits i'tand :the two aims are detaoho ialy s e- V in a usual manner as mayclearly be Seen with. cured together by means of'su-itabie nuts and e e w to Figure Sam cutter b n y bolts in .a usual manner. Said motor is ofen with a m in v b me e in ordinary construction having tour wmma field usual manner and driven from a cutter chain 1 m m pr m w n-{ 1495151 m pro ket 1-5 f e ly moun d on the lower e d mm (not showm supported on a. new, ex-

a vertical shaft 15. Said cutter sprocket. tending armature shaft 245 1 V and verticai shaft are driven from the motor 13 .With reference to figures i and fi 'itniefiy'b so the armature and armature shaft 24 may be;

readily removed therefrom .with no vertical movement thereof. It sh'ouldbe notedthat due to the fact that said motor casing is split diagonally, that its rearward half 2i may be removed from the forward half .with .a minimum amount of rearward movement with-respect to the machine. With such an' arrangementthe armature may be removed from the motor when a breakdown. occurs while the cutter bar is sumped under the coal. Thus :saidmotor is arranged so it may be readily accessible in confined spaces and all parts ofthe motor may be re moved therefrom when the machine is at the 'working face under varying conditions of mining; as, for. instance, where the space is very limited asto length and. height but where there is ample width, which conditions are common in mines, especially where the roof is poor and it is necessaryto space props for supporting the roof close to the working face of the coal. 1

- .Referring now in particular to the drive fo the, feed operating and cutter chain driving mechanism, and several other novel features of my invention, the upper end of the armature shaft has, an armaturepinion 29 keyed thereto. Said armature pinion meshes with and drives an idler gear journaled on its hub in suitable ball bearings supportedin a bearing support 3|. Said idler gear is heldin said bearing support by means of a stud 32 integral therewith having anut threaded on itsupper end. Said idler gear meshes with and drives a spur gear 33 keyed on the upper end-.of the vertical shaft l6 and journaled-on itshubin the bearing support 3| bypmeans of suitable ball bearingsof an ordinary construction; 7

The bearing support, 3| is of a T shape and is supported adjacent the endsof the cross of the T on suitable shoulders formed in the main frame. H ,on opposite sides thereof by means of suitable cap screws ina usual manner.. .Thestem ofthe T extends rearwardly over the motor casing-I8 and is provided with. a suitable shoulder which abuts and engages a projection extending forwardly from the rearward portion of the main frame H and is held to said projection by means of suitable nuts and bolts in a usual manner.

With reference to Figures2, 3, and 4, it may be' seen that upon removal of the bearingsupport 3 l that-the gears 30 and 33 may be removed from the machine for accessibility to the cutter chain drive and feed operating parts.

. A worm. 34 i cut integral with the vertical shaft Sand meshes with and drives .a worm gear. 35 keyed on asleeve 36 freely mounted on a longitudinally extending shaft 31 for driving the feed operating mechanismfor the mining'machine in a manner which .willhereinafter be more fully described.'- f

The cutter chain sprocket I5 is journaled on its. hub in the mainframe H in suitable ball bearings and is provided .with a plurality of upwardly' extendingclutch jaws 3B adapted'to be 'jaws in an obvious. manner.

engaged by clutch jaws 39 depending from a clutch member 40 feathered on the vertical shaft l6 for selectively connecting said sprocket with said shaft for driving the cutter chain I4 therefrom.

The clutch member 40 is moved along the vertical shaft [6 by means of a suitable system of levers which may be of any construction, but which are herein preferably shown as comprising a clutch yoke 4| having engagement with said clutch member.

Said clutch yoke is engaged by a clutchfork 42 keyed on a transversely extending rock shaft 43 supported in the main frame ll rearwardly of the vertical shaft I6 in suitable bearing supports in a usual manner. One

"end of said transversely extending rock shaft extendsbeyond the .lateral boundaries of said main frame adjacent the retreating side thereof and has a hand lever 44 keyed thereto so movement of said hand lever will vertically move the clutch member. 40 to engage the clutch jaws 39 withthe clutch jaws 38 or disengage said clutch Suitable locking means are provided to lock the clutch jaws 39 in an engaged position with or disengaged position from the clutch jaws 38, which means comprises suitable. pin and aperture locking means generally indicated by reference character 45.

Referringnow in particular to the feed mechanism and method of operating the same, a feed drum 4'! is .keyed on a longitudinally extending shaft 48 adjacent theforward end of the main frame ll.. 'Ihearrangement of said feed drum is such that a flexible feeding member 49 may be wound thereon and may readily be extended to either. side of the machine for movingthe machine along the mine bottom at either a high or low speed in opposite directions without reversal of said motor.

The longitudinally extending shaft 48 is journaled in suitable-bearing supports formed integral with the main frame I I and has a spur gear 50 keyed to its rearward end. Said spur gear meshes with and is driven from a spur pinion 5| keyed on the longitudinally extending-shaft 31 rearwardly of the bearing support for the forward end of said shaft.

Suitable means are provided for driving the longitudinally extending shaft 3'! from the worm gear 35 andsleeve 36 at the speed of. rotation of said sleeve or. at-a frictionally controlled lower speed. Said means herein comprisea frictionally controlled eccentric gear reduction device 53 similar to that disclosed in my aforemen; tioned prior application. Inasmuch as said eccentric gear reduction device has been fullydisclosedin my aforementioned prior application it will only herein be shown and described insofar as is necessary to make the device of my' present invention readily understandable. Said frictionally controlledeccentricjgear reduction device comprises a casing 54 freely mounted on the longitudinally extending sleeve 36 for rotation with respect thereto controlled by a friction band 55 engageable with the outer. periphery thereof.

An eccentric 56 is formed integral with the forward end of the sleeve 36 within the casing 54 and has a suitable ball bearing .51 thereon. A gear 58 is mounted on said eccentric and meshes withand drives an internal gear 59 journale'd within the casing 54 and supported on a cage 60. A plurality of lugs Bl are formed integral with the gear 58 and have blocks 62 pivotally supported thereon. Said blocks are slidable in suitable guides provided in the casing 54 directly from the feed to that described in mybe-' When said casing is held from rotation bythe friction band'- 55, rotation of the eccentric 56'will move the gear 58 in a non-rotatableclosed orbital path formoving the internal gear 59. a distance equal tothe width of the number of teeth in the gear 58 which engage corresponding teethin said internal gear in a, usual manner vwell known to those skilled in the art... The speed of rotation of the internal gear 59 is reduced by-lessenin the pressure of the friction band 55 on thecas ing 54 and allowing said casing to rotate Within said friction band. Likewise, upon overload of the internal gear 59 the casin'g5 l will slip within the friction-band 55 and prevent damage to the feed operating parts. i

Suitable clutch means are provided for necting the with either the sleeve 35 for driving said shaft at the speed of rotation of said sleeve or the cage 68 for driving said shaft at the speed of rotation of the internal gear 59. Said means, as herein shown, comprise a clutch sleeve 63 having clutchjaws 64 on the rearward end there-' of. Said clutch jaws are engageable with clutch jaws 65 formed integral with the sleeve 36 or clutch .jaws 58 formed integral with the cage 60.

The clutch sleeve 33 is shifted by suitable system of levers in a usual manner which herein comprise aclutch fork 5! mounted on a transverselyextending rock shaft 69 disposed beneath the longitudinally extending shaft 31 and having engagement with a suitable clutch yoke 10, which yoke is operatively connected with said clutch sleeve. Said rock shaft extendstransversely of the main frame H beyond one side thereof, herein shown as being the. retreating side of the mining machine, and has an operating lever "H- on its end adjacent the retreating side of the mining machine. It may thus be seen th'at the clutchsleeve Gamay be shiftedalong the longitudinally extending shaft shaft to be driven at either a low frictionally controlled speed. p U

The friction band 55 is engaged with or disen gaged'from the outer periphery of the casing 54 by means of a suitable system of lovers in a usual manner'operated from a hand wheel 13 on the rearward end of the machine.

Suitable means are provided to retard the rearward end of the mining machine as it is being fed across the coal member 49 and feed drum 4], which may be of 37: to cause said any suitable construction but which is herein shown as comprising a retarding drum 74 having a cable 15 wound thereon. Said retarding drum is freely mounted on a, suitable stud extending rearwardly'from the rearward end 'of the rearward half Zl' of the motor casing 18 for free rotation with respect thereto...

-ii/leans areprovided for retarding rotation of said retarding druin 1 and controlling the paying off of the cable 75 therefrom'which means may 5- be of any suitable construction but is herein preferably shown as being a brake band 1'! adapted to engage said'drum and operated by means of a suitable hand wheel #8 ma usual manner.

The flexible feeding member 49 may be trained drum 4! to ajack 'or any suitable holding means adjacent the face of the coal for feeding the machine therealong upon rotation'of said feed drum. Said flexiblefeeding member may also be trained around asheave 19 75- adjacentthe forward advance side of themaj longitudinally extending shaft 31 means of ahigh speed 1 or a face by the flexible feeding chine, over and under sheaves indicated at II on the advanceside of the machine adjacent the central portion" thereof, around a sheave 8|- adjacent the-rearward advance side of the ma chine, and around another sheave 92:adjacent the central rearward portion of the machine to a suitable connection on the truck for loading the machine onto said truck, as is clearlyillustratd in Figure 2. Likewise,a sheave 83 is the'retreating rearward side of the machine for training the flexible feeding member 49 therearound. A guide roller 84 and sheave 85 are provided adjacent the forward retreating side of the machine for guiding the flexible feeding mem'-' ber for sumping or for moving the machine in a direction opposite its normal direction of travel.

Referring now in particular to the means for driving the truck I! about the mine,"a spur gear 86 is keyed on the hub of the spur gear 33 and meshes with and drives a spurgearfl'! on the upper end of a vertically disposed shaft 88. A bevel pinion 89 is v vertically disposed shaft anddriven therefrom Said bevel pinion meshes with and drives a bevel gear 90 journaled on its hub in the main frame II in a suitable manner; The outer end-of the hub of the bevel gear is flush with said outer'side provided on I keyed on the lower end of said of the main frame H and'said hub is provided 7 with a squared socket ister with a squared shaft which is adapted toreg 9l slidably supported in a hub 93' of a. drive sprocket 94-journ'aled in" ektending upwardly provided for -locking the I chine is supported on its truck and it is desiredto move the mining machine on its truck about the mine, which locking means may be of any suitableconstruction but herein comprises a lever 95 pivotally supported on an extension from the. bearing support member '95 and engaging the outer end of the squared shaft 9|. Said lever is locked in an engaged position with said outer end of said squared shaft by means of a lockingpin indicatedat 97.

Means are provided for operatively connecting the drive sprocket 94 with anaxle 98 for the truck I! and truck wheels 99 on said axle, which means comprises a chain erally indicated by reference character I90. The

forward and rearward truck wheels are in turn operatively connected together by means of a suitable chain and sprocket drive generallyindb' cated by reference character I I Thus when the mining machine has been H by theflexible feeding and'sprocket drive gen While I have herein shown and described one 7 form in which my invention maybeembodied,

itwill be understood that the construction and various parts may be altered arrangement of the or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting-as itmay" be limited iii-the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In

a mining machine, a motor slidablddiroctly on the mine bottom and having'e vertical:

armature shaft, a frame disposed forwardly of said motor having a projecting cutter bar extending forwardly therefrom, said cutter bar being disposed in planes which intersect said motor and having a cutter chain guided formovement there-, about, feeding mechanism therefor comprising a feed drum disposed adjacent the forward end of said main frame for rotation about a longitudinally extending axis and having a flexible feeding member adapted to be wound thereon, and means, for selectively driving said feeding and cutting mechanism from said motor 'comprising a vertical shaft driven from said armature shaft and having a cutter chain drive I, sprocket freelymounted on its lower end,'clutch means for selectively connecting said sprocket with said shaft, a shaft extending longitudinally of said mainframe and journaled therein at its forward and rearward ends, means for selectively driving said longitudinal shaft from said vertical shaft at either a low speed or a higher frictionally controlledspeed comprising a frictionally controlled geared speed reduction device coaxial with said longitudinal shaft and ageared connection between said feed drum and longitudinal shaft comprising a shaft coaxialwith the axis of rocation of said drum and having, its axis of rotation disposed adjacent the longitudinal center line of said cutter bar,'an1 operative connection between said shaft and feed drum and a geared connection between the inner end of said shaft and said longitudinal shaft. 7 a 7 a a 2. In a mining machine, a motor slidable directly on the mine bottom and having a vertical armature shaft, a frame disposed forwardly of said motor having a projecting cutter bar extending forwardly therefrom, said cutter barbeing disposed in planes which intersect said motor and having a cutter chain guided for movement thereabout, feeding mechanism therefor comprising a feed drum disposed adjacent the forward end of said main frame for rotation about a longitudinally extending axis and having a flexible feeding member adapted to be wound thereon, and means for selectively driving said feeding and cutting mechanism from said motor comprising a vertical shaft driven fronr said armature shaft and having a cutterchain drive sprocket freely mounted on its lower end, clutch means for selectively connecting said sprocket with said shaft, a shaft extending of said main frameand journaled therein at its forward and rearward ends, means for selectively driving said longitudinal shaft from said vertical shaft at either a low speed or a higher frictionally controlled speed comprising a frictionally controlled geared speed reduction device coaxial with said longitudinal shaft and clutch means for selectively connecting said frictionally controlled geared speed'reduction device with saidshaftand a geared connection between said feed drum and longitudinal shaft comprising a shaft coaxial with the axisof rotation of said drum and having its axis of rotation disposed adjacent the longitudinal center line of said cutter bar, an operative connection between said shaft and feed drum and a geared connection between the inner end of said shaft and said longitudinal shaft.

3. In motor slidable dia mining machine, a

' rectly on the mine bottom and having a vertical armature shaft, a frame disposed forwardly of said motor having a projecting cutter bar extending forwardly therefrom, said cutter bar being disposed in planes which intersect said motor and,

having a cutter chain guided for movement thereabout, feeding mechanism therefor comprising a feed drum disposed adjacent the forward end of said main frame for rotation about a longitudinally extending axis and having a flexible feeding member adapted to be wound thereon, and means for selectively driving said feeding and cutting mechanism from said motor comprising a vertical shaft driven from said armature shaft and having a cutter chain drive sprocketfreely mounted onits lower end, clutch means for selectively connecting said sprocket with said shaft, a shaft extending longitudinally of said main frame andjournaled therein at its forward and rearward ends, means for selectively driving said longitudinal shaft from said vertical shaft at either a low speed or a higher frictionally controlled speed comprising a worm on said vertical shaft, aworm gear driven thereby, said worm gear being coaxial with said longitudinal shaft and freely rotatable with respectthereto, a frictionally controlled geared speed reduction device coaxial with said shaft and driven by said worm, clutch means for selectively connecting said shaft with said worm or said frictionally controlled geared reduction device and a geared connection between said feed drum and longitudinal shaft comprising a shaft coaxial with the axis of rotation of said drum and having its axis of rotation disposed adjacent the line of said cutter bar, an operative connection between said shaft and feed drum and a geared connection between the inner end of said shaft and said longitudinal shaft.

4. In a mining machine, rectly on the mine bottom and having a vertical armature shaft, a frame disposed forwardly of said motor having a projecting cutter bar extending forwardly therefrom, said cutter bar being disposed in planes which intersect said motor and having a cutter chain guided for movement thereabout, feeding mechanism therefor comprising a feed drum disposed adjacent the forward end of said main frame for rotation about a longitudinally extending axis and having a flexible feeding member adapted to be wound thereon, and means for selectively driving said feeding and cutting mechanism from said motor comprising a vertical shaft disposed forwardly of the motor and driven therefrom and having a cutter chain drive 1ongitudinauy i sprocket freely mounted on its lower end, clutch means for operatively connecting said cutter chain drive sprocket with said vertical shaft, a worm on said shaft, a worm gear rotatable about an axis extending longitudinally of the machine driven by said worm, frictionally controlled gear reduction means driven by said worm gear, a shaft coaxial with said worm gear and journaled in said main frame adjacent its forward and rearward ends, clutch means for operatively connecting said shaft with said worm gear or said frictionally controlled gear reduction means and a geared connection between said feed drum and longitudinal shaft comprising a shaft coaxial with the axis of rotation of said drum and having its axis of rotation disposed adjacent the longitudinal center line of said cutter bar, an operative connection between said shaft and feed drum and a geared connection between the inner end of said shaft and said longitudinal shaft.

5. In a mining machine, a motor slidable directly on the mine bottom and having a vertical armature shaft, a main frame disposed forwardly of said motor having a projecting cutter bar extending forwardly therefrom, a cutter chain movlongitudinal center a motor slidable di- 1 able about said cutter bar, feeding mechanism therefor comprising a feed drum having a flexible feeding member wound thereon, means for driving said cutter chain and feeding mechanism from said motor comprising an armature pinion on said armature shaft, an idler gear driven by said armature pinion, a spur gear driven by said idler gear, a shaft coaxial with and driven from said spur gear, means connectible with said shaft for driving said cutter chain and feed drum, and means for supporting said idler gear and spur gear whereby said idler and spur gears may be removed as a unit to permit accessibility to said cutter chain and feed drive mechanism comprising a T shaped bearing support member detachably secured to opposite sides of said main frame and extending rearwardly therefrom over and having engagement with the top portion of said motor.

6. In a mining machine, a motor slidable directly on the mine bottom and having a vertical armature shaft, said motor having a motor casing split diagonally in a vertical plane the size of which determines the power producing functions of the motor, a frame disposed forwardly of said motor having a projecting cutter bar extending forwardly therefrom, said cutter bar being disposed in planes which intersect said motor and having a cutter chain guided for movement thereabout, and means for feeding said mining machine along the mine bottom in opposite directions without reversal of the motor at either a high speed or a lower frictionally controlled speed comprising a vertical shaft driven by said motor, a worm gear driven therefrom, a shaft extending longitudinally of said frame coaxial with said worm gear journaled in said main frame adjacent its forward and rearward ends, a frictionally controlled geared reduction device coaxial with saidlongitudinal shaft and driven, by said worm gear, clutch means for connecting said longitudinally extending shaft with either said frictionally controlled geared reduction device or said worm, a feed drum at the forward end of said main frame disposed substantially in alignment with the longitudinal center line of said cutter bar, a shaft to which said feed drum is connected and a spur gear on the inner end of said shaft driven by said longitudinally extending shaft.

7. In a mining machine, a motor slidable directly on the mine bottom having a vertical armature shaft, a main frame disposed forwardly of said motor having a projecting cutter bar extending therefrom, a cutter chain movable about said cutter bar, means for driving said cutter chainfrom said motor comprising an armature pinion on the upper end of said armature shaft, an idler gear meshing therewith, a vertical shaft, asprocket meshing with said cutter chain on the lower end of said vertical shaft having selective connection therewith and aspur gear on the up-' per end of said vertical shaft driven by said idler gear, and means for supporting said idler and spur gears whereby said idler and spur gears may be removed as a unit to permit accessibility to said cutter chain and drive mechanism therefor comprising a bearing support member extending across and detachably secured to opposite sides of said main frame and having a portion extending rearwardlytherefrom over and having engagement with the top portionof said motor.-

CHARLES A. PRATT. 

